Sophia Shaw’s eyes were red with sorrow. "Cedric Grant, is your so-called grandmother that important?"

"When you were sick with a fever, crying nonstop because your medicine was bitter, who held you and comforted you? Who felt your pain? Was it your so-called grandmother?"

"Who always remembered your favorite foods and saved them for you? Was that your so-called grandmother too?"

"When you were injured and fell unconscious, who knelt up ninety-nine steps to pray for a peace charm for you? Was that your so-called grandmother?"

No.

No.

None of them!

Sophia Shaw’s relentless questions made Cedric Grant’s face flush red, and he was too ashamed to lift his head.

He had always known his great-grandmother was good to him.

His great-grandmother doted on him so very much.

But the moment he heard Yvonne Sherman was sick with anger, he forgot everything else!

He was only thinking about helping out at home during the days Auntie Joanna was away, and forgot that his great-grandmother was also sick.

It was his grandmother who mentioned it, and only then did he realize his great-grandmother was staying here too.

His grandmother offered up her own flowers, telling him to bring them to his great-grandmother.

He came without a second thought.

"Mom, I didn’t mean to insult Great-grandma," Cedric Grant explained through his tears. "I just wanted to see her quickly. I was too hasty and made a mistake."

"Your grandmother was sick, and you were quite anxious then too. How come you didn’t make any mistakes?"

Sophia Shaw’s sharp follow-up question once again left Cedric Grant speechless.

Her gaze was even sharper now, as if it could pierce his heart and see his true intentions.

Cedric Grant felt like he was being roasted over a fire, his whole body tensing to its limit.

Sophia Shaw silently watched his constantly fiddling fingers.

Cedric Grant only ever acted like this when a lie of his was exposed.

’He really has forgotten his great-grandmother’s kindness. He doesn’t hold her in his heart at all!’

"Cedric Grant, why exactly did you come looking for your great-grandmother?"

Cedric Grant’s heart gave another violent lurch.

"I... I just came to see her..."

His voice was barely a whisper.

Across from him, Sophia Shaw’s expression visibly iced over at his words. The colder she got, the more his guilt grew.

"Go back and tell the Shermans that Great-grandma will not be pleading their case. Tell them to give up hope!"

’Mom figured everything out!’

"Mom," Cedric Grant cried out, his voice trembling with shock.

Sophia Shaw turned and walked away, unwilling to spare him even half a glance.

Cedric Grant watched her retreating back, feeling helpless.

’Mom is walking away so coldly... It’s like she really doesn’t want me anymore.’

An endless fear surged in Cedric Grant’s heart.

No matter how independent he was, he was still a child. He needed his mother...

"Mom," he began to cry.

Sophia Shaw’s steps faltered slightly.

’I should remind him again that there’s nothing between us anymore.’

But in the end, she kept her mouth shut.

Cedric Grant had already taken a side with his actions, standing with Chad Jennings and the Shermans. He had made his choice.

When Sophia Shaw returned to the hospital room, June Evans had arrived, bringing Chloe with her.

She placed Chloe on Grandma’s bed to play with her.

She herself walked over to Sophia Shaw, patted her, and gestured for her to come outside.

Once outside the door, she finally spoke. "I just saw you with Cedric. What he did... I heard everything. Are you... okay?"

Sophia Shaw’s eyes were clear as she shook her head faintly.

"I’m fine."

June Evans pressed her lips together, watching her.

’How could she possibly be fine? Her own son did something like this, and she’s the mother who gave birth to him and raised him.’

’Poor Sophia. She’s probably been hurt so badly she’s just gone numb.’

June Evans sighed softly. "How did Cedric turn into this? He used to be such a good, sensible kid..."

It just went to show: anyone who got mixed up with the Shermans and Chad Jennings was bound to be corrupted.

"That Jennings and those Shermans are real pieces of work, using a child like that!"

Sophia Shaw knew June Evans was only cursing them out to console her, to suggest that Cedric Grant had been led astray and hadn’t truly turned bad.

’But,’ Sophia thought, ’if he hadn’t agreed to it himself, who could have possibly led him astray?’

After Sophia Shaw returned to the room, Grandma handed Chloe back to June Evans and took Sophia’s hand.

"Faye, dear, I heard Vincent Grant was detained by the Grants because of what happened to me. You’re busy with work, and that boy Cedric is all alone now with no one to look after him."

"Don’t let the children suffer on my account. Go talk to the Grants, tell them not to be too hard on Vincent Grant. A scolding should be enough."

Sophia Shaw and June Evans exchanged a look.

They had already guessed that Cedric Grant had come to ask Grandma to plead on Vincent Grant’s behalf, but June Evans still felt a sharp pang of heartache for Sophia Shaw.

’How did she give birth to such a blockhead?’

’All he knows is how to side with outsiders.’

’Sophia went through days and nights of labor for this... this thing.’

’Not worth it. So not worth it!’

Sophia Shaw’s heart ached and twisted as well.

’Cedric Grant uses something Yvonne Sherman didn’t even want to humiliate Grandma, and he still has the nerve to guilt-trip her!’

"I know, Grandma."

Sophia Shaw agreed, just to appease her grandmother.

Agreeing was one thing, but there was no way she would plead for him.

When Sophia Shaw got back to her company, it was nearly eleven o’clock.

Jacobs met her.

As the two of them walked to the company entrance, they saw a figure standing by the main doors.

He was holding a bouquet of flowers.

Sophia Shaw was in a hurry and only glanced over casually.

She recognized him as an acquaintance.

"Young Master Croft?"

Jacobs didn’t recognize Young Master Croft and said, "He’s been standing there since this morning. Who knows what he’s been trying to do all this time."

Young Master Croft was some distance away, and Sophia Shaw didn’t approach him.

If it were a business matter, Caleb Croft would naturally have had someone contact her.

Young Master Croft’s posture didn’t suggest he was here for official business.

She strode through the door.

Behind her, Young Master Croft clutched the flowers in his arms, watching helplessly as Sophia Shaw walked into the company, unable to take a step forward.

He was here to see Sophia Shaw.

His old man had ordered him to come and give Sophia Shaw flowers.

The meaning was clear: he was supposed to woo Sophia Shaw!

’Admittedly, Sophia Shaw is good-looking.’

’She’s a little plump, but in a way that’s full of charm. And that gentle grace of a Jiangnan woman is quite lovely.’

’But the type he likes isn’t a gentle Jiangnan woman, but a fiery and passionate girl like Joanna Sherman.’

’Besides, he’s a handsome young man in his own right. Why should he pursue a woman who’s already had a child?’

The more Young Master Croft thought about it, the more upset he became. And the more he thought, the more he felt there was something wrong with his old father’s eyes—and his brain.

’There’s no way I’m giving her these flowers.’

’Not even if you beat me to death!’

Young Master Croft didn’t want to obey his old man anymore. Even if he got his legs broken, he would not pursue Sophia Shaw!

He strode away, making a phone call as he walked. "Help me look into someone..."

In the days that followed, Sophia Shaw was extremely busy.

The Rocket Group-Purchase project had officially launched, and she had an endless list of things to do.

「Friday.」

Sophia Shaw had an appointment to meet with the representative of a new support contractor.

They arranged to meet at the contractor’s facility.

The support contractor for this collaboration was called Windspeed. Although they had never launched a rocket themselves, they had assisted in dozens of launches, making them more than qualified in terms of professional experience.

The person meeting with Sophia Shaw was Windspeed’s Vice President, Faye Dunn, who was also the company’s chief technical engineer.

She was also a woman.

She had a neat, short haircut, and her every move exuded a straightforward, androgynous air.

The two of them hit it off right away.

Sophia Shaw admired her open and direct nature, while Faye Dunn admired her professional competence.

"I really didn’t expect a gentle woman like you, Miss Shaw, to have studied engineering—let alone something as complex as rocket launch technology."

Faye Dunn took a sip of her coffee, making no effort to hide her admiration or her assessment of Sophia Shaw.

"In my mind, a Jiangnan beauty like you, Miss Shaw, belongs in a photo album, just for decoration."

Sophia Shaw wasn’t offended by Faye Dunn’s bluntness and simply smiled.

The two of them walked out.

In the distance, Sophia Shaw saw the back of a figure with wavy, curly hair walking shoulder-to-shoulder with a man.

That silhouette...

Faye Dunn saw her too and spoke up. "There’s something you might not know. Miss Joanna Sherman is out."